Participation in various sporting events and professions such as weight lifting, motor cross, heavy equipment operation, construction, and the like often places a considerable strain on the lower back. Efforts to alleviate such back strain problems have been satisfactorily achieved through the use of stiff, heavy leather belts which are placed about the waist of the participants prior to engaging in activities such as mentioned above, where conditions conducive to back strain may be present. Such leather belts are commercially available in various widths and thicknesses so that a belt with a suitable level of rigidity can be provided for back supporting purposes required for participation in a particular activity by a particular person.
Studies have shown also that the wearing of a properly designed lumbar-abdominal support belt can significantly reduce the risk of back injuries among industrial workers, especially in combination with the practice of good body mechanics, generally accepted lifting techniques and sound physical conditioning. Such belts have been demonstrated to increase the intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) by aiding in the compression of the contents of the abdominal compartment, thereby allowing it to bear some of the load that would otherwise contribute to spinal compression. As the abdominal compartment supports some of the load, the muscles of the lower back are also relieved. IAP can reduce the compressive force acting on the lumbar spine by up to fifty percent (50%). Spinal disc compression is said to be the leading cause of disc deterioration. Industrial users of properly designed belts have shown reductions of up to forty percent (40%) in the incidence of disabling back injury. And, these same users reported that both the severity and duration of back injuries has been reduced considerably when personnel wear support belts. Properly designed belts are those belts which are fitted to the individual user in a manner that permits the selection by the user of the degree of support required for the task at hand.
However, it has been found that the wearing of a leather belt with a "built-in" rigidity factor is not necessarily desirable or suitable for a person engaging in different levels of any one activity. For example, in weight lifting events some lifts require a greater level of back support than in other lifts even in the same type lift depending upon the weight being lifted and the physical makeup of the lifter. Some lifters attempt to overcome these differing requirements for back support by varying the tightness of the belt about their waist. At best, this makeshift solution is minimally satisfactory. Further, the stiffness of the leather belts prevent the belts from substantially conforming to the shape of the body of any particular user so as to be uncomfortable in most instances. In fact, when the leather belts are tightened about the waist of the user they are very unyielding and substantially inhibit body movement. Thus, considerable shortcomings or drawbacks are present in the use of the inflexible and uncomfortable leather belts of fixed rigidity especially since each belt is particularly suitable for only one or a very limited number of back supporting conditions so as to require a considerable number of belts of different rigidity for participation in activities such as weight lifting.